Character Design: Sackboy

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Sackboy is the main, and kind of only character in Media Molecule’s Little Big Planet. I say this because every person who plays the game plays as a Sackboy or Sackgirl – the reason being for this is that little big panet is a game entirely about creating your own levels and worlds and your own experience in a very craft like fashion.

Sackboy is designed to promote and establish this asthetic. He is a basic character with plenty of original allure, constantly happy-as-larry and perfectly lovable as he is. That’s fine, that’s important and it helps the ID of the game as a whole. Iconism isn’t really the drive with scakboy – personalisation is really the word here. It’s often said by gamedesigners that they want the player to impart something of them self onto their lead characters during play with sackboy, that was the entire idea. Players arew encouraged to customise sackboy with colours textures, accessories, and costumes from other popular game franchises.

Sackboy is a celever piece of design, because he can be anyhting. He can be villianous, he can be heroic, he can be funky, gothic, cool, laidback he is a template for the style and preferences of the player.